Hello, hello, hello! I'm here and ready to rumble!
I beg your pardon for that abrupt cliffhanger, but I really couldn't resist. *Insert snicker and smirk here.* But, don't fear, it will all make sense!
Disclaimer: I only own my beloved Tia and her crazy twists in the wonderful plot that I don't own!
Warning: Language, violence and death! Mwhahaha! But seriously, some sadness here, prepare yourselves…
3rd Person P.O.V.
Erigor continued to laugh, triumphantly barring Lullaby to the heavens above.
"What the hell is he doing? What's happening?" Natsu looked up in confusion at the cackling dark mage who had been laughing for the past minute as he floated in the sky overhead. He had started doing that shortly after Erza had been pushed back by the tornado, and Natsu had no clue what he was laughing at. He was so confused right now...
"He's in an illusion," supplied Lucy helpfully, a small smile evident on her face as she watched the man laugh, almost like he was stuck on a loop. "Vulp, you did well."
The red-haired spirit shimmered into view beside Lucy, foxy grin covering her sweet face. "Thanks, Lucy-chan! I made the illusion show him what he wanted to see, and then stuck him on loop." Her fox ears flickered and she grimaced slightly. "He's currently laughing over your dead bodies."
Sparing a quick shudder at the thought of her nakama's dead bodies, Erza looked at Lucy and the spirit appreciatively, "good job, you two. Is he stuck like that, or is the illusion going to stop after a while?"
"I can hold it for a while longer," said Vulp, twirling one of her red locks between her slender fingers. "But you could just knock him out, you know?"
"I volunteer!" Natsu grinned wickedly and lit up one of his fists. "I'll beat up that bastard for what he's done!"
"That's good and all," Vulp said with uncharacteristic seriousness, "but the illusion will stop when you come into contact with him. So make your attack count."
"Basically," Gray drawled, coming to stand next to Lucy, eyes trained on Natsu. "Don't be a screw-up like you normally are, flame-for-brains."
Natsu scoffed at him before his body was licked by bright flames. "Whatever, Popsicle. Here I go!" He pushed off the ground, body now blazing with his own magical power. "Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!"
The attack hit with a crunch into Erigor's exposed stomach, making the mage's eyes pop out and his mouth loll as he folded in half. The flames burnt him as momentum caught up to him and he was flung back. The force of the attack had the man sailing upwards in an arc, scarf trailing behind him before he went crashing deep into the forest behind.
"I-incredible!' Kageyama's eyes were trained on Natsu as he landed with a light tap of his feet, teeth bared in a grin. 'Did they really beat Erigor?' His eyes landed on the discarded form of Lullaby that had been flung out of Erigor's hands when he was driven away. It's empty three eyes stared at him, beckoning. The pull was almost too strong to resist, the powerful dark magic of the flute calling him a few steps forwards. 'Should I…?'
"I totally destroyed him!" beamed Natsu, turning to his nakama with a smug look plastered onto his face. "Did you see that? I beat him! Not Ice-princess, or Erza-"
"Shut up, Natsu." interrupted Lucy with a sigh, biding Vulp a goodbye and a thank you before the spirit disappeared in a shimmer of gold. "There's a chance that he might not be defeated, so I'll go check on him while you guys-"
There was a screech of metal and the Fairy Tail mages turned collectively to see the bent and battered magic four-wheeler being pulled upright by giant shadow hands, its exhausted engine whirring and clunking.
"Fuck," Lucy summed up perfectly, watching Kageyama crow triumphantly as he launched over their heads, Lullaby flute gripped in one hand and the other controlling the shadow hands that were propelling the vehicle. "I guess I'll clean up Erigor while you guys take care of that."
"After him!" Erza bellowed, armour clanking as she broke into a sprint and Natsu and Gray moving from their dumbfounded positions to chase after her. Happy sprouted his wings and fluttered after them, not picking up Natsu as he went, content to just glide after them tiredly.
"Huh," Lucy muttered, staring after the departing mages. "I guess Fairy Tail mages are pretty single-minded when it comes to enemies." She shrugged to herself before her mood turned sombre. She knew what she had to do now.
Hefting her sword in her right hand and glancing around to find the destruction-filled path in the forest that would guide her to Erigor, Lucy discovered the beginnings of it and set off at a comfortable pace. Her ribs were achingly slightly, but not as bad as the wrenching feeling on her left side.
"How cliché," she remarked as she passed under a still-smouldering branch in the forest. "My heart is hurting." She took a deep breath – mindful of the sparks of pain from her ribs – and quashed the feeling, numbing it until it was barely a tickle in the back of her mind. "For the good of the future." she repeated it to herself, trying to convince herself that she was doing the right thing. "It's to make everybody's future easier. For Lucy…"
There was a snapping of wood and she calmly pulled her sword into a ready position. "Come out, Erigor. I know you're there."
"How…" The rasping voice echoed from Lucy's right and she adjusted accordingly to keep him in her swords' reach. "How dare you…trick the Shingami!" The was more snapping of branches and twigs before Erigor pushed his way through the foliage and into Lucy's path
His tattered pants and scarf attire was missing large parts, and his gravity-defying hair looked rather deflated. His tall, lanky body was hunched over in pain and covered in bruises, burns and cuts. Several leaves and twigs were caught in his hair and scarf; all in all, ruining the fear factor of the sneer that he had on his face.
"You don't look much like a Shingami," said Lucy blankly, eyes trained on every movement of Erigor's as he leaned heavily on a tree trunk. "I would like to honour you more – you were a worthy adversity – but I must get to my friends. Quickly would be rather nice."
Erigor's sneer twisted as he opened his mouth. "Those flies? I'll eradicate their presence off this world! I'll destroy every happy thought they've ever had and laugh as they writher in pain at my feet!" He pushed off the tree, wind gathering around his arms and legs as he advanced on Lucy. "I may be slightly damaged by that pink-haired fly, but I still have enough magical power to activate my Storm Mail and shred you to pieces!" The swirling and grinding wind slowly crept up his arms and legs, enclosing his torso in their dangerous safety and making their way up to his upper body and neck. "Prepare to die, fl-!"
His words broke off in a sharp gurgle and the winds that were so lovingly twisting around him a second ago, departed, abandoning their master in search for other playful opportunities. Good or evil, it didn't matter. The wind was untameable, and often bit their controllers hands.
Lucy grit her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut as she felt warm liquid envelop her hands. Her hands trembled lightly, sword rattling against bone as she did so.
She…shouldn't-couldn't do it.
No, she couldn't just sever his head so…callously. Although Erigor was a mad man, he was also cheated and taken advantage of in the future; his memory wiped and made into a puppet for Oración Seis. He wasn't in fault if he didn't know what he was doing.
Swallowing the bile that was creeping up of her throat, Lucy attempted to disengage her sword from Erigor's neck. The sword slid effortlessly sideways; like a hot knife through butter, as her mother used to say. And with a jerk of his head, Erigor tumbled to the ground, like the discarded puppet he was.
"I'm sorry," choked out Lucy, eyes flickering between the open mouth with its pink cavern, and the new smile painted on his throat with what looked like melted, red lipstick. "I'm so sorry! Please, Shingami-sama, spare this soul! I-" she broke off, right arm holding her steadily dripping sword like it would bite her if it got too close. "I had too…"
Biting down on her lips and emotions, Lucy flicked away the offending liquid that slithered in streams down her sword before kneeling down respectively beside her once-enemy. She crossed herself before closing his staring eyes; eyes that accused. "Rest in peace, Erigor-san."
She wanted to summon Virgo. Make the mess disappear into a deep hole like Alice into Wonderland. But like children who have knocked their toys over, she would have to stack it back up and fix it herself.
She was a big girl.
"Big girls don't cry," Lucy muttered bitterly to herself, tucking Erigor's scarf around the dripping smile on his throat, covering it from view. "They don't cry." She picked Erigor up, noting of his lightness, and set off deeper into the forest to dig a resting place for the man.
Then why was she crying?
"T-that's Lullaby?" Gray stuttered slightly, gazing up in horror at the large monster that was now looming over them. "How?!"
The monster known as Lullaby roared in delight after being freed after so long, its mouth gaped as he did so. The deep glow in its three eyes brightened at the prospect of destruction that it could cause. "It has been so long since I have been able to stand in this form!" The demon lowered its body so that it could stare down at the tiny people by his feet. "My, my, is this my welcoming party? A bunch of old geezers and three titchy mages?"
There was a bellow of protest from Natsu 'I ain't titchy!,' but Lullaby easily ignored that, its gaze wandering over to the several mountains that proudly stood nearby. "Oh? There's something that I can destroy." It straightened up and swelled before releasing a blast of pure magic that tore and obliterated the proud mountains in one flashy flare.
The Royal Army, that had gathered to help, stuttered and fell to a stop at the sign of pure power. Fear began to pump through their systems as they realised what they were up against.
Wisely, one of the men declared a tactical retreat that his men only gladly acted on, fleeing back – to where they weren't sure, but it was better than being anywhere near that giant monster looming behind them.
Soon, only the Fairy Tail mages of Erza, Natsu and Gray stood in front of the terrifying spectacle, guild masters of their own guild, Blue Pegasus and Quatro Cerberus behind them, in the fringes of trees.
"Natsu, Gray," came the commanding tone from Erza as her body glowed and changed into sleek, black armour. "Let's go!"
"Aye!" Came the collective reply of the two males, hands alighting in their respective magic before charging alongside their nakama.
Watching with tired eyes, Makarov reclined on a tree trunk, tiny form dwarfed even by Bob's stout form. "Those three…"
"Maki-dear," cooed Bob, wings shimmering in the faint moonlight creeping through the clouds and branches of the tree they were under. "Didn't Mira-chan say there was another member of your fine group of beauties? Where is she?"
"Lucy?" Brow furrowed, Makarov watched as Lullaby staggered around, arms flailing to hit the evasive mages attacking it. "I-" A golden flash caught his attention in the distance, drawing his attention from the shade of colour that he hadn't seen any of his mages use before. "I believe she's already here.
Stomach rolling, Lucy unclasped her hands from around Andromeda's arms and staggered away, mind trying to catch up with the sudden change of environment. "T-thanks, Andromeda."
"Of course, Lucy," the spirit replied, worried blue eyes on her summoner, her hands a bloody mess that didn't belong to her and her expression troubled. "I'm happy to transport you anywhere you have to go. It's one of the few abilities I have to offer you."
Lucy gave a shaky smile and straightened up, feet stumbling as the ground rocked beneath them. "I'm just glad you transported us away from the battle."
Taking in the battle that was going on between Lucy's guildmates and the abomination that belonged to Zeref, Andromeda could only nod. "Are you joining in, Lucy?"
The blonde followed Andromeda's gaze before flickering to the destruction that was happening around them. "No. Andromeda, I'll have to ask you a favour."
"What may I do for you?" Andromeda asked politely, following her summoner as the blonde began to jog towards the guild hall that stood nearby.
Lucy scrambled over a shattered imprint of a monstrous foot that was in the ground before answering. "I want you to transport yourself to the surrounding area and make sure that the guild masters and Royal Army get away from the destruction safely." The two females were drawing nearer to the guild hall, but so was Lullaby. "Many mages don't realise the devastating effects their battles have on people around them. I just don't want anyone injured. Not while I-" Lucy broke off to glance back at her spirit. "Not while we can do anything to help."
Andromeda's smile was small, but full of pride for her summoner's actions and feelings. "Of course, Lucy." She stopped in her running to raised chained arms, power flaring before she disappeared in a golden flash.
"Be safe," Lucy whispered to the wind, feet picking their way to the guild hall where several shouts of panic were coming from.
Breaking through the last bit of foliage from the forest Andromeda had transported her to – why was she in so many Jashin-damned forests today?! – Lucy emerged beside the guild hall and the steady stream of guild masters that were evacuating, guided by several fresh-faced Royal Guards.
"Miss!" One of the guards approached her, armour clanking and slipping off his youthful frame. "I'll have to ask you to evacuate. There's-"
"Lullaby's heading this way," Lucy finished for him, brushing past to stand beside a guard who had armour and uniform that was different to the others. "Sir!"
The reigning Commander of this certain platoon looked up to see – not one of his men as he expected – a young, blonde woman saluting him with bloody hands, a fluttering top with a vest and pants completing her look. The Commander straightened up from his post of observing his men and stared at the blonde with something akin to suspicion. "Who are you and what are you doing here?! This is being evacuated! You must leave immediately!"
"Sir!" Lucy bowed deeply to him out of respect. "Lucy of Fairy Tail, sir. I'm here to assist you in whatever means you need a mage for."
The Commander blanked at a Fairy Tail mage being so polite and respectful, but quickly caught himself. This was a serious situation, not something that you can lose your head in. "What services can you offer me, Lucy-san?"
The blonde straightened and stared at him with hard, brown eyes. "I am a Celestial mage that can offer the use of several of my spirits. In fact, sir, I already have one of my spirits roving the surrounding affected area, transporting away any people in danger to a safe point."
The Commander nodded in acknowledgement. "A good plan, Lucy-san. But where is your spirit taking the people to?"
Just in time, Andromeda appeared in a flash, startling the Commander and nearby passer-by's. "Lucy, I have found ten people already and relocated them to a nearby valley two kilometres that way." The spirit gestured to the west where, coincidentally, the Royal Guards were ushering the guild masters and any staff that had been in the guild hall. "I have transported them to the base of operations of the Royal Guard in the valley there, and have scanned the forest thoroughly. There is no one else in danger."
"That's a relief, Andromeda," said Lucy. "Thank you so much for your support. You can go home and rest now."
Andromeda inclined her head before disappearing again, this time though, back to her home.
Scratching his head, the Commander observed the Fairy Tail mage in front of him in new light. "I am thankful for your services, Lucy-san. I will keep in mind what you have done here today."
Lucy bowed in gratitude before examining the last stragglers of people that were leaving the guild hall in search of shelter from the battle that was drawing to a close fearfully nearby. "Sir, in all respect, I think you should flee now."
"And why would that be?" The Commander peered at the blonde. "Why should I take orders from you?"
"Because I'm saving your life, and your men's," Lucy said simply as she grabbed a megaphone that was at the Commander's feet and lifted it to her lips, dodging the Commander's attempts to get it back.
"SIRS AND MADAMS!"
The last remaining people turned at the magnified yell, curious and fearful gazes resting on Lucy's form.
"I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK YOU TO HURRY NOW! THE FAIRY TAIL MAGES ARE DRAWING CLOSE AND THEY MAY MAKE LULLABY FALL HERE! I DON'T WISH ANYONE TO BE HURT, SO PLEASE HURRY AND GET TO SAFETY!"
Finally reacting, the Commander wrestled the megaphone from Lucy's hands – not that she gave much of a fight since she had already said what she needed to – before addressing the people himself. "U-UM…" The man faltered as he realised that the girl had been doing the right thing. "DO AS SHE SAYS AND HURRY!" The man nodded to himself as he dropped the arm holding the megaphone to his side before wheeling on Lucy. "What do you think you we-!"
"You should leave too, sir," Lucy interrupted, brown eyes focused on the wailing form of Lullaby that was dangerously close. "Run. NOW!" She pushed the man and hurried along after him, helping anybody who was too slow as they went.
By the time they got to a safe distance, Lucy's attention was on Lullaby rather than the murmuring mass of people around her that hadn't made it to the valley where everyone else was. She watched as Lullaby went to sing, but Natsu's flaming fists slammed down on it, lighting up everything in a bright inferno that blinded everyone.
"W-what power!" one of the guards muttered, eyes on the form of Lullaby as it cracked and crumbling, tumbling downwards. "Is this the strength of Fairy Tail?"
"The strength of their destruction," Lucy replied dryly, wincing when Lullaby landed on the guild hall and obliterated it in a spray of rubble and shattered glass. "I am sure someone can pay for that."
Several guild masters shrieked in rage and even the guards began to curse the Fairy Tail mages that had just destroyed private and sacred property.
But Lucy ignored them (again) in favour of heading back towards the destroyed hall. The Commander called out to the girl as she broke into a sprint, but she was too far gone and it seemed like she wouldn't be stopping.
"Honestly," the Commander said to himself as he surveyed the angry faces of the guild masters. "All those Fairies do when the blame is pinned on them is run."
Coming to a stop, Lucy scanned the wreckage, passing over twisted metals and shattered wood in favour of searching for a certain flute.
Deciding that she wouldn't get a good view from here, Lucy used her hands and feet to crawl up onto the slightly warm mess of materials, hands slicing on hidden pieces of glass and pointed metals as she did so. A sense, rather than sight, drew her to a certain piece of wreckage, and Lucy kicked it to the side to reveal the cracked flute of Lullaby.
Lucy gingerly lifted it up and stared into its three eyes before slamming it viciously into a brick, shattering the cracked face. A wisp of something dark escaped from it and Lucy found her anger picking up; anger at the pain and destruction that had been brought around by this flute. She slid her hands down to the end of the flute where it turned into gnarled roots and swung it in a downwards stroke, anger fuelling the strike to snap and break the flute beyond any repair.
"Good riddance." She spat onto the broken remains before turning on her heel, intent on getting back to her friends when a loan moan spiked her senses.
"Hello?" Looking around frantically, Lucy came to a cold realisation. "Sir? Where are you?!" Panicking, the girl began to slide and scramble across the wreckage, not caring if she was cut to shreds on the mass of materials, not if someone was injured underneath it. "Sir?! PLEASE! Where are you?!"
There was a hacking cough and Lucy pivoted to rush towards a smouldering, thick piece of wood that had probably been a beam from the ceiling of the guild. Now, though, it was a destroyer of life. Just like Lullaby.
"Sir!" Dropping to her knees, Lucy began to dig away at the smaller pieces of rubble that surrounded the beam, trying to dig a hold big enough to get her hands under. "Are you in there?"
"Y-yes."
The voice was a whisper, but it gave Lucy strength and hope to dig faster, the blood of Erigor on her hands scraped away by sharp rocks, only to be replaced by blood from her broken and jagged nails. "I'm going to get you out! Don't worry, I'll get you out there as soon as I can!" Although Lucy was trying to reassure the young-sounding male, her own voice was being smothered and choked by unshed tears that were clogging up her throat and nose.
There was no reply this time and Lucy frantically threw away some more glass and rock before shoving her hands under the beam that was hot enough to lightly burn her hands. "Stay with me, sir! C'mon! DON'T FALL ASLEEP!"
Sobbing now, Lucy heaved at the heavy beam, screaming when her ribs protested. But at the whispering shuffle of clothes from under the beam, Lucy ignored the pain, pushing the beam up to her hips with a scream of pain and triumph. Panting, she heaved again, channelling magic she knew that she needed for herself to her numb limbs and legs.
There came a glimmer of dirtied blue cloth from underneath the beam that spurred on Lucy, who began to slowly push her legs up to lift the beam. With a last guttural scream, she lifted up the beam with burnt and bloodied hands and threw it to the side, the wood landing with a heavy thunk and creak.
The girl gasped a shuddering breath through her ribs that was surely broken and splintered by now, before dropping back down to her haunches beside the broken form of a young Royal Guard. "Sir?"
The boy coughed weakly, blood spluttering from his lips, dirtying the once handsome features more. "I-is someone there?"
"Yes," managed Lucy, gripping tightly at rocks so that she wouldn't scream again; this time out of horror. She gulped and ignored the boy's legs that were hopelessly tangled together at odd sections and the concave of his right arm. "Why didn't you evacuate with the other guards?"
The boy's eyelids fluttered over glazed green orbs. "Wanted…to make sure no one was…going to get hurt."
"But you got hurt in the process, you silly boy!" Lucy cried, wheezing at the pain in her ribs. "Why would you do something like that?!" She gasped another breath that tasted faintly metallic before continuing. "WHY?!"
"Because," the boy whispered, his gaze finally falling on Lucy's battered form that was hovering above him on the edge of the small dent his body had formed when it was crushed. "It was my duty. And I would…gladly lay my life down for things that I care for…" A tear leaked from one of his hazy eyes, clearing a path through his grimy face. "I care for this country and the people that live in it." He managed to smile at Lucy, taking in her blonde hair that glimmered in the moon like an angel. "Isn't that worth dying for?"
Lucy sobbed, tears plinking down onto the young army boy's torn uniform, but not cleaning the fabric one bit. "I'm sorry! I'm, so, so sorry!"
I'm sorry that I didn't save you! I'm sorry that I wasn't strong enough! I'm sorry that I've let a life be taken so unfairly!
"Please forgive me," she said, leaning over the boy, his eyes unfocused and not blinking. "Oh, God, forgive me!"
She let out a wail of panic, fear, hatred, anguish - oh god why was she such a failure?! - before breaking off into sobbing and tears. No one bothered her; no one wanted to go near the dangerous, destroyed mess that was once a proud guild hall for many years.
No one was there when she picked up the broken boy and her own broken heart before steadily, staggeringly, making her way out of the mess that had been made.
The Commander heard cracking of twigs and turned from the small mass of people he had to see the blonde – Lucy – from earlier come staggering out of the forest in a zombie-like state, a bundle carried in her arms. Her face was pale and drawn, covered in filth with a thin trickle of blood escaping her lips.
"Lucy-san!" the Commander called out as he hurried towards her. "Your friends are looking for you!"
The girl didn't acknowledge him, sluggishly moving past to stumble a few more steps before sinking down on her knees in front of a large group of young Royal Guards. With bloody hands, she carefully deposited the bundle at their feet, revealing the very much dead form of one of the guards, green eyes staring blankly up to the stars above.
A chocked sound escaped many of the guard's mouths and a few started crying. "Max…" one of them moaned, clenching his hair between shaking fingers. "Max!"
Lucy then reached out and used both of her hands to close Max's green eyes, leaving drops of blood on them that gleamed mockingly. She wiped them away with torn sleeves that were as red as the blood before placing a chaste kiss on his forehead and standing up.
The guards took that as their cue to go to their fallen comrade, dropping to their knees around the dead body as Lucy rose.
The blonde walked away from the cries that echoed through the suddenly silent night behind her, face showing no emotion, but the tear tracks that still shimmered on her cheeks gave her away. She walked past shocked guild masters and guards, towards her nakama and master who were staring at her like they had never seen her before.
Upon reaching them, she bowed to a solemn Makarov, not flinching at the audible grinding sound to all that came from her ribs. "I'm sorry that I didn't come sooner, Master." Her voice was hoarse from screams and her guildmates flinched at the sound.
Makarov studied her wane face before sighing and placing a tiny hand on one of her exposed legs. "That is quite alright, my child. You had your reasons."
The girl nodded jerkily. "Yes, I did. I failed to reach him early enough for medical attention." Her brown eyes glimmered like broken glass. "I…"
"Lucy…" Happy looked up at the blonde, eyes swimming with tears of his own.
The girl looked down and smiled robotically at Happy, the image ruined by haunted eyes and the tears that were steadily falling from them. "Hey, Happy."
Almost uncomfortably, Gray placed a comforting had on her shoulder. "Hey…are you alright?" He winced at the awful question - of course she wasn't alright! - but the blonde answered anyway. "I'm…" She blinked at him, confusion now etched into her features. "I do not know…"
Licking his lips, Gray replied. "If you need to talk, just…just talk to one of us, okay? We're here as your nakama. We'll support you in any way we can."
Erza and Natsu nodded, both watching their friend closely to see whether or not she found shatter into hundreds of pieces like it seemed she would.
Lucy twisted her features into a smile and nodded, one hand wrapping around her aching ribs as she felt them rub and grind against each other.
Broken, just like every other part of her…
"Miss?"
A tap on Lucy's shoulder made her turn to face a much older Royal Guard, his face tight with anguish for a fallen comrade. "Yes, sir?"
"Galvin," the man supplied for her. "I was hoping that you would be able to answer some questions on…" He gulped before finishing determinedly, "on Max's passing. How it happened and whatnot."
"It would be…" Lucy paused as she realised that she was going to say pleasure and that was not a word she would be ever using again in the near future. "It would honour him to know that his…passing would be of knowledge to his peers, and that his last words would be remembered."
"So you were there when he passed?" Galvin asked, a booklet coming out alongside a pen in which to write the details. "Do you mind stepping this way to answer some more questions?"
Agreeing to do so, Lucy faced her guildmates to bow to Makarov once more. "Master, I shall be busy here for a while. I wish to help pay for the…funeral and get that in order." Her eyes flickered as she spoke. "Please, continue on and head back to the guild. I will return in the next few days."
Natsu went to protest, but Erza quickly silenced him when Makarov began to speak. "Are you sure you wish to stay here, my child? You need to be healed and-"
"With all due respect, sir," came Lucy's now hard reply. "I need to do this."
I need to fix up this mess.
Makarov studied her once more before bowing in submission, "if this is what you wish."
"I do."
Turning his back on the broken girl, Makarov began to walk away. "Brats, come back to the guild." The tiny man caught sight of the boy who had possessed the flute getting apprehended by several guards and shook his head with a sigh. "You've done enough here as it is."
Erza instantly followed after him, shooting Lucy one last look before turning around completely. Gray offered Lucy a smile before, he too, left after the elder two.
It was Natsu and Happy who remained, determinedly standing in front of Lucy and Galvin. "You have to come back with us, Lucy."
"No I don't," Lucy replied tiredly. Why couldn't she just sleep and pretend that this was all a dream?! "I want to do this, Natsu, and I need to!"
"Why?!" argued back Natsu, stepping towards Lucy, arms out to emphasis his feelings. "You don't owe these guys anything!"
Lucy, who was already very close to the edge of sanity, snapped, whirling on the Fire mage with eyes full of fury. "Of course I bloody well have to!"
Happy, Natsu and Galvin stumbled back at the sudden outburst, shocked by the fury that the previously sad girl was excreting.
"No you-" Natsu tried to say, but was cut off by the blonde who was on a warpath.
"I fucking have to, Natsu! Because, I KILLED HIM! YOU KILLED HIM! FUCKING FAIRY TAIL KILLED HIM!" Her shrieks of rage caught many people's attention, and they watched with serious expressions as Lucy jabbed her fingers at Natsu, who, in turn, began to look hurt and confused. "What do you mean, Lucy? What the hell are you talking about?! We don't kill people!
The blonde snarled at him, mind fogged by her anger. "So I guess that Lullaby fucking jumped onto the guild hall, just happening to kill Max!"
There was a gasp from some of the guards at the casual mention of their friend's death.
Natsu flinched away at her words, Happy tearfully looking between the two at his feet. "Lucy, we didn't mean to. I didn't think…"
"Just like you don't mean to destroy everyday people's houses every time you take a job!" Lucy retorted. "Just like you don't mean to obliterate people's hard work, sacred grounds, or even hospitals! That's the thing, Natsu, you guys don't fucking think! You don't think about the consequences, or the impact that your fights have on people who don't have magic!" Lucy gestured to the masses of Royal Guards that were mourning for one of their fallen. "You guys don't see the big picture! The big, bad, and scary things of the real world! Well, now you do and you get to live with the fact that you killed someone forever! Just like I have to!" The blonde was crying again, and blood was dripping from between her lips as her broken ribs pierced her lungs further, filling them with her life liquid. She went to continue, but had to break off into body-wracking coughs that splattered blood onto the ground.
"Lucy!" Natsu went to go to her, but she shoved him away with bloody hands. "No, Natsu, that's enough. Go back to Fairy Tail," she turned away from him, head held high. "I will see you there when I get there."
Natsu hesitated again, but Happy tugged on his scarf as he drifted up beside him. "C'mon, Natsu." The cat picked up Natsu by the back of his vest and flew off after their nakama that had already walked deep into the forest, Natsu's onyx gaze not wavering from the back of Lucy's blonde head with its red tips.
"Miss?" Galvin asked the girl carefully. "Are you alright? Do you need medical attention?"
Lucy swallowed her tears and the traces of blood in her mouth before nodding. "Yes, Galvin-san, I believe I need medical attention before I answer any of your questions. I don't want to be a liability by passing out at any point."
A soft smile appeared on Galvin's lips as he gripped Lucy's shaking left arm in order to guide her towards the area that had been designated as the medical tent for anyone who had got injured. "You're a caring girl, Lucy-san, right?"
"Un, Lucy…"
Isn't that worth dying for?
Natsu sat morosely at one of the guild's many tables, eyes not wavering from the blonde that was slumped on a table on the other side of the guild at a table of her own. Her hair was out and she was wearing a long, white t-shirt under a sleeveless, black jumper that had a red dragon curled across it.
Maybe she wore them to cover the bandages that he knew were currently swaddling her torso, but Natsu didn't know. He only knew that since Lucy's arrival three days ago, she wasn't talking or taking any missions every time she came to the guild. She'd just sit at the same table every day, with the same blank expression on her face, wearing the same clothes as always. Natsu wouldn't even think that she went home at all if he didn't follow her every night back to her apartment, making sure that she got home safely.
Just then, Lucy's head picked up and Natsu watched as Mirajane abandoned her waitress post in order to slide into the booth beside her, arm curled around Lucy's side in a hug.
Instead of pushing Mirajane away, Lucy began to speak to her in tones so quiet that even Natsu's hypersensitive ears couldn't pick up on what they were saying.
Shortly, Lucy began to relax into the hug, curling up on the seat in order to cuddle up next to Mirajane like the frail, little girl she had been looking like so recently. Mirajane easily adjusted, the other arm joining the one hugging Lucy in order to bring her closer.
And during all that, they didn't stop talking, murmuring words only known to them two.
"Lisanna?" Lucy looked at Mirajane's pained face carefully. "She sounds like she would be as beautiful as her name."
"Yes," Mirajane smiled slightly, blue eyes crinkling, "she was very beautiful. And so kind as well. She rarely ever had something bad to say about anyone, and she was always prepared to help out anyone in need."
"Imōto-chan was a real man."
Both Mirajane and Lucy looked up to see a melancholic looking Elfman slid into the seat opposite them, eyes misty in memory.
Lucy observed the sad lilt to his lips and the way Mirajane's eyes shimmered. "Guys, you don't need to speak of her anymore. She's…she's gone, isn't she?" At Mirajane's and Elfman's flinch, Lucy continued. "I don't want to bring up any bad memories and make you guys sad."
"It's alright, Lucy-chan," Mirajane murmured, pale fingers dragging through Lucy's loose hair. "It doesn't hurt as much as it used to, and I just want you to know... that we understand."
"Un," Elfman grunted, leaning forward intently to peer at Lucy. "We heard of the death of a Royal Guard at Clover. You were the one who brought him back, weren't you?"
Shifting slightly, Lucy nodded stiffly. "Yes, I was the one who found Max and was with him when he died. I brought him back to his nakama. I thought that it would be easier for them to accept his death if they had a body to bury." She fiddled with her fingers, relaxing into the gentle touch of Mirajane's fingers. "You know, he had a mother and sister. I saw them at the funeral, that's why I didn't come back for a week."
Mirajane and Elfman stayed quiet as the blonde told of the funeral before going back to retell of how she had found Max and how he had died in front of her. "He died so that no one else would be in danger." Lucy swallowed thickly. "His last words were saying that protecting his country was something worth dying for. And I-" The girl broke into sobs, hands balling into her eyes. "I am so sorry!"
"Shhh," Mirajane soothed the girl, hands brushing across her head. "It's okay. Just let it out, Lucy-chan. It's not okay to hold it back."
And so she did.
Lucy cried until her voice was hoarse again and she had no more tears to cry. She cried over the frustrations that had been building up of pretending that she was someone she wasn't. Over the act of killing someone. Over the fact that she had never watched an innocent die like that, right in front of her. Even while she was in gangs, she never had to kill someone so roughly, or see someone die in front of her.
She wasn't a seventeen-year old who could remain steadfast on her quest to gain friends in Fairy Tail, only worried about boys and cute clothes. She was a sixteen-year old who was confused, lost and tired of playing pretend.
Standing up and walking over to the two girls who were both crying now, Elfman gathered Mirajane and Lucy in his huge arms, gently cradling them in his arms as they mourned over people that were long since lost.
No one in the guild spoke as the large man picked them up and disappeared out of the guild, only announcing that someone would have to take waitress duty as Mirajane would be at home with him and Lucy.
And no one argued back. It was clear that they needed time to clear their minds and to help put Lucy back together.
They all watched the three nakama disappear out the door into the heavy glare of the sun, gaze solemn and heavy at the words that Natsu had relayed to them courtesy of Lucy.
You don't think about the consequences, or the impact that your fights have on people who don't have magic!
Maybe, decided Natsu, maybe he would start to think. He didn't want to see his nakama's tears and not do anything about it. When one cried, they all cried.
And right now, everyone was pouring with tears.
Isn't that worth dying for?
…Honestly, I have no idea what just happened.
I knew that I wanted to show that there were consequences to the Fairy Tail mages, but I didn't think that it would turn into…this. This huge mess of bad feelings that slowly steamrolled into arguments and crying and…
Okay, I'm just going to leave it to you guys to make something of this.
R.I.P. Erigor and Max.